Official Luthiers Forum!

My old Craftsman just bit the dust (no pun intended) and I need to run out today and buy a new one. What is the unit you folks would most recommend?
Sears? Shop-Vac? Fein? Festool? etc. etc....

Thanks.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I have a rigid from Home Depot. I like it a lot. Surprisingly strong for a small unit.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I'll second the Rigid, Sears second choice.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

I have a Rigid too. It does a good job but mine is really noisey. The Fein is supposed to be very good and quiet as well.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Yep, Rigid.

Rigid to...only because when mine broke I went to Home Depot and it was cheaper than Shop-Vac...I have seen the Fein at tool shows and it is quieter and a step up but more expensive...

I am sure that the Craftsman is on par with the Shop Vac or Rigid...either comes down to price (if we dont mind a high pitched drone) or quality (Fein, Festool)at a greater price.

I doubt I will ever wear-out my sears shop vac... since I got the Fein, I barely use the Sears one

I have the largest Craftsman shop-vac they make--I bought it because it was the cheapest at the time (on clearance). It works great as a vacuum, however make sure you don't mistakenly try and use it as a dust collector. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the brands mentioned, so I guess it just boils down to price.

Good luck!

John

I have a Rigid, also. Works well but it IS loud.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I like the Fein. Much quiter than my old vac.


Joe Volin

Sears works fine for me.

Fein. I looked at Home Depot's web site for pricing and dicovered that wet/dry shop vacs are certainly more than what I paid for my old Crapsman unit. I went and flipped the switch on the Fein at my local Woodcraft and couldn't believe my ears. Considering the loss to my hearing from years of loud music, drum & bugle corps practices, and loud power tools, it was a welcome (lack of) sound.
Add the cool feature of the power outlet that you plug a tool into that will turn the unit on when the tool is turned on, and it was a no-brainer for me.
I brought it home and it has way more power then the Crapsman and WAY more quiet in operation. I wasn't concerned about the extra bucks I had to spend on it. I've learned that if you spend a few dollars more, you usually end up with a tool that will last well and perform up to your expectations.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

[QUOTE=Don Williams] Add the cool feature of the power outlet that you plug a tool into that will turn the unit on when the tool is turned on, and it was a no-brainer for me.
I brought it home and it has way more power then the Crapsman and WAY more quiet in operation. I wasn't concerned about the extra bucks I had to spend on it. I've learned that if you spend a few dollars more, you usually end up with a tool that will last well and perform up to your expectations. [/QUOTE]

Don, that was exactly the feature I was going to suggest you look for in a vac. I also agree about noise level, particularly when you are in a one room basement shop. I can always put on hearing protectors but that doesn't help the wife or neighbors.   I've been shopping around for a new shop vac and appreciate your review of the Fein.    

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS?
HAMBURG JUNIOR BUCCANEERS    1965-1971 ( solosit 1969-1971 )
READING BUCCANEERS       1971
Soprano Bugle
What Corps Don

Don, What model and what was the cost?

You know... if noise is the only consideration... I have read somewhere.... (but didn't build one) about how to build a muffler for a shop vac.

I don't know if that impedes performace or not, but I think you can make them quieter if you want.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

You can buy mufflers for shop vacs at the Home Depot, and I did at one time, but it was expensive, and didn't do much. I took it back.

I bought the Fein Turbo 3 model, for $319.99
Yes expensive, but I feel worth it. I have it hooked up to my bandsaw, and it just comes on when I turn on the saw. You can't even hear it when the saw is on. Amazing. I would have gone for the model below it, but it comes with a smaller diameter hose, and I prefer the 2.25" hoses, especially because all my old fittings work with it. A HEPPA filter is available for this too, for around $80.

I needed a wet/dry vac, and most of the better HD variety were $150-$200 anyway. My wife couldn't stand the noise of the old one, so she told me to "get the quietest one you can". So I did...



Don Williams38593.6680555556

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I have a ridgid 6.2 hp 12 gallon got it on sale at HD for less than $60.00

I don't have a shop vac anymore, I use a Delta dust collection system and have extra hoses when I need to vaccum something up (I have some that go from 4" to 2"). It's far more powerful than a shop vac and I don't have to change the bag very often, I have a trash can seperator to keep things out of the blades.

It's more expensive to start but I think it pays off in the long run, I can use it on my shop tools and for cleanup things as well...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Since Don already bought the vac this kinda a moot post but the Fein is a great vac probably for no other reason than being quite. I've had one for about 8 years and it just bit the dust about 3 weeks ago. I have no reservations about replacing it with another Fein, for me quite power tools are woth a premium.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Probably as important as the cost, amount of suck or amount of noise is the level of filtration.   Conventional shop vac filters put the harmful fine dust (that you can't see) right back into the air via the exhaust. Would recommend a HEPA or 0.5 micron filter.
The downside is the finer filters plug quicker but that's the price one pays.

The Fein comes with a .5 micron filter I believe, and a HEPA filter is available.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Get a Rigid with the "scroll" technology. I is VERY quiet. Mine is strong enough that I use it instead of a vacuum system (small shop). It has also come in handy this year as I have had 2 floods for which it has been pressed into service. It's a good unit.

Steve